(CNN) –The street artist who created the ubiquitous red, white and blue Obama "Hope" posters was arrested Friday in Boston on outstanding graffiti charges, police said.
Shepard Fairey, 38, was arrested en route to an opening party for his first solo art exhibition on two outstanding warrants for property damage by graffiti, Boston police said.
Officer James Kenneally said the instances of graffiti involved images of the late wrestler Andre the Giant - Fairey's tag.
The Friday arrest represents Fairey's second legal tangle this week.
Earlier, the Associated Press accused him of copyright infringement, saying the iconic "Hope" portrait of the president is based on an April 2006 photograph of Obama taken by AP's Mannie Garcia.
The AP - the world's largest news organization - is seeking credit and compensation from Fairey, who contends the image is protected by fair use laws.
The graffiti artist is no stranger to law enforcement. In a recent interview, Fairey told the Boston Globe he has been arrested at least 14 times.
Fairey was released on bail shortly after his arrest Friday and is scheduled for arraignment Monday.
Calls to his lawyer were not immediately returned Saturday.
From CNN Politics
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Wow!! someone finally got arrested for "graffiti"- give me a break.
This man is NOT a good role model. But he IS a good rock star.
ya there are killers out there killing people this guys are after artists
He is a genial artist. He should be rewarded not arrested. Shame !
Being arrested, fines, etc. are all just part of Mr. Fairey's cost of doing business. If nothing else, it just made him front page news.
I guess the Boston cops ran out of useful things to do.
But he's a democrat and democrats should be able to break the law, just like they shouldn't have to work or put forth any effort. They need the big old government to baby sit them at all times.
When you present yourself to the public, you had better be clean. I wouldn't be surprised if the AP didn't send their PI to check for dirt under his rug. I hope they don't get any of this money.
Why is this important? someone please tell me!
Uncle Joe Stalin would love his work.
leave artists alone!!!!! man, we are struggling enough as it is. Just cause the man gave Obama some fame...he didn't make any money of his art, he donated it.
The guy has talent and is a rookie – he did not hide that he used AP's photo. AP is standing in the way of talent – if he had malicious intent – he should be prosecuted – or AP could simply just applaud the artist and help him achieve greatness – petty objections from AP.
Doesn't law enforcement in this country have anything better to do - like deal with illegality on Wall Street - than slam the creator of one of the only pure art forms left in society? Although the vandalism case could be argued, Fairey hasn't even collected royalties from his Obama design. So as far as the rest of descent, hard working Americans are concerned, the AP should go back to focusing on being the watch-dog of society, rather than trying to collect corporate profits from primitively accumulated intellectual property. This whole circumstance is absurd.
He's a liberal....what do you expect? They are disruptive, disrespect and dishonest....and they teach it to our children...it's like a disease......
Not sure why this is in the political ticker but hey whatever right?
We have real crooks and murderers running the street and the city of Boston is waisting tax payers money chasing this man. Way to go BPD.
And this has what to do with President Obama? Nothing more than to give the Obama haters ammunition to to make this a negative for President Obama. The fact that the only relationship this person has to Obama is that he painted a picture means nothing to Obama haters.
Forgot to pay his taxes. Honest mistake.
Dude better "hope" he doesn't do too much time in stir or else he may "change" his way of getting it on.
CNN.... where do you guys come up with this stuff?????????????
Apparently rules don't apply with this guy.
Holy Batman... get him!! Public criminal number ? Geez, this sounds really pathetic to go after him now. The timing seems petty and like the police have an agenda that we have yet to figure out. Don't they have bigger fish to fry in Boston?!
We have wall street crawling with criminals and they are spending time arresting an Artist? What a waste of time and money.
Arresting people for tagging is a not a great use of public resources imo.
Stupid comments by Obama haters in 3...2...1...